Heated debates kick off election dash in Tuscarawas

The atmosphere inside the Founders Hall auditorium at Kent State Tuscarawas became increasingly charged Tuesday as political rivals met to debate and outline their ideas during the Tuscarawas County Meet the Candidates Forum.

By Meghan Millea

Times Reporter

By Meghan Millea

Posted Oct. 10, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Oct 10, 2012 at 10:03 AM

By Meghan Millea

Posted Oct. 10, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Oct 10, 2012 at 10:03 AM

NEW PHILADELPHIA

The atmosphere inside the Founders Hall auditorium at Kent State Tuscarawas became increasingly charged Tuesday as political rivals met to debate and outline their ideas during the Tuscarawas County Meet the Candidates Forum.

Speaking in front of a crowd of nearly 180 people, political opponents debated their ideas and records for the various positions of Tuscarawas County, including commissioner, clerk of courts, sheriff and 98th district state representative.

The event, hosted by the Tuscarawas County Chamber of Commerce and co-sponsored by the Tuscarawas County Farm Bureau and Twin City Chamber of Commerce mainly dealt with the subjects of budgets, job creation and addressing the oil and gas boom.

The hotly contested race between Tuscarawas County Sheriff Walter Wilson and his Republican challenger, Gerry Mroczkowsi, was filled with accusations and rebuttals.

Mroczkowsi used his time to share his background and attack Wilson’s record. Stating that he had more education and experience working for the New Philadelphia Police Department and Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Mroczkowsi said he would be the person to move the department forward with training and growth. He also stated that Wilson didn’t get along with various fire departments, police departments and his own personnel.

“There’s a real lack of cooperation,” Mroczkowsi said.“The fire departments call me to their meetings. So do the police departments. They are not happy.”

Wilson strongly disagreed, saying his department works well with other emergency responders and works to assist throughout the county.

“Quite frankly, I’d like to ask the fire chief or the police chief who told you that to step forward,” Wilson responded.

Mroczkowsi also brought up the ongoing lawsuit involving 11 correctional officers who are suing the sheriff for not compensating them for 15 minute-mandatory roll calls during the past few years. He said Wilson’s use of a labor-relations firm to negotiate with the unions was a waste of taxpayer funding.

However, the labor relations firm Mroczkowsi was speaking of, Clemans Nelson & Asociates, is retained by the county, not just the sheriff.

“The lawsuit is a favorite topic of my opponent,” Wilson said.

He added that he has worked to be fiscally responsible and reduced the budget from $6.4 million in 2008 to $6.2 million in 2011 by cutting positions and switching food products available to inmates. Wilson has been with the sheriff’s department since 1975, working his way up from dispatcher, to lead detective and elected sheriff in 2001. He said the sheriff’s department solves major crimes and plays a role in the drug task force.

The next highly contested debate was the 98th district state representative race between Republican incumbent Al Landis and Democratic challenger Joshua O’Farrell.

Landis and O’Farrell sparred over the best way to help the middle class and create jobs. Landis proudly defended his record of cutting taxes and making budget cuts to create more jobs. O’Farrell raised issues of funding for schools and the referendum of Senate Bill 5.

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O’Farrell accused Landis of only voting along party lines.

“No one is right 100 percent of the time. No political party has made the best decisions for Tuscarawas County,” he said.

Landis rebutted by saying “Good decisions are good decisions. It doesn’t matter what side of the aisle you’re on.”

The other debates between Republican Shane Gunnoe and Democrat Belle Everett for county commissioner and Clerk of Courts, Democratic incumbent Jeanne Stepen and Republican challenger Nick Homrighausen were fairly cordial.

Also taking part in the forum were Democrats, Joyce Healy-Abrams, from the 7th Congressional District and Charlie Wilson from the 6th Congressional District. Neither of their Republican incumbents, Bob Gibbs, 7th, or Bill Johnson, 6th, made an appearance.